Hollywood woke up to a history-making morning on Thursday, January 22, as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced nominations for the 98th Academy Awards at 8:30 a.m. ET. This year’s lineup promises one of the most competitive Oscar races in recent memory, with record-breaking potential and star-studded categories across the board.
Sinners Could Shatter a 75-Year Oscar Record
Ryan Coogler’s vampire thriller Sinners is poised to make Academy Awards history. Industry forecasts suggest the film could earn up to 15 nominations, breaking the long-standing record of 14 held by three iconic films:
- All About Eve (1950)
- Titanic (1997)
- La La Land (2016)
The record-breaking haul is partly thanks to the Academy’s brand-new Best Casting category, which expands opportunities for ensemble-driven films. Sinners has been dominating awards season across multiple fronts, from directing and acting to technical categories.
For Michael B. Jordan, who delivers a dual performance as brothers battling supernatural forces, this marks his first-ever Oscar recognition—a milestone moment for one of Hollywood’s biggest stars.
One Battle After Another Dominates With 13 Expected Nods
Paul Thomas Anderson’s black comedy One Battle After Another is hot on Sinners’ heels with approximately 13 projected nominations. The film could pull off something extraordinary: landing five actors across all four acting categories.
Potential Acting Nominees:
- Leonardo DiCaprio
- Chase Infiniti
- Benicio Del Toro
- Sean Penn
- Teyana Taylor
If this happens, One Battle After Another would become the first film since American Hustle (2013) to sweep every acting category. DiCaprio is already being called a near-lock for Best Actor.
Best Actor: A Four-Way Battle Royale
The Best Actor race is stacked with heavyweight performances:
- Timothée Chalamet – Marty Supreme
- Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
- Wagner Moura – The Secret Agent
- Michael B. Jordan – Sinners (dual role)
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley vs. The Field
Jessie Buckley’s performance in Hamnet has been the season’s most talked-about, but she faces fierce competition:
- Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
- Rose Byrne – If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You
- Amanda Seyfried – The Testament of Ann Lee
- Cynthia Erivo – Wicked: For Good
Other Films Making Waves
Beyond the frontrunners, several titles are expected to score multiple nominations:
- Josh Safdie’s Marty Supreme
- Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet
- Frankenstein
- The Secret Agent
- It Was Just an Accident
- Netflix’s Train Dreams
The International Feature category is particularly competitive, with strong contenders from Germany, Japan, South Korea, and Palestine.
A New Era: Best Casting Makes Its Debut
For the first time ever, the Academy will recognize casting directors with their own category. This historic addition acknowledges the crucial behind-the-scenes work that shapes every performance we see on screen.
Technical Categories to Watch
Expect fierce battles in craft categories as some of the year’s most ambitious productions compete:
Likely Technical Contenders:
- Cinematography
- Sound
- Visual Effects
- Makeup and Hairstyling
Films like Sinners, Frankenstein, and F1 are expected to dominate these categories.
Mark Your Calendar: Oscar Night Details
Key Information:
- Ceremony Date:Â March 15, 2026
- Host:Â Conan O’Brien
- Total Categories:Â 24
- Nomination Announcers:Â Danielle Brooks and Lewis Pullman
Voting for nominations ran from January 12 to January 16, with today’s announcement revealing the final slate.
The race to Oscar gold is now officially on. Will Sinners break records? Can One Battle After Another convert buzz into victories? Which dark horse will shock the world on March 15? The next two months promise drama, campaigning, and plenty of surprises before Hollywood’s biggest night arrives.
Check out It’s Netflix Nerd for our latest reviews, updates, release news, and information about Netflix movies and series.